psychopathology

Question 1

the four district distributions of abnormality

Answer 1

statistical infrequency
deviation from social norms
failure to function adequately
deviation from mental health

Question 2

what is statistical infrequency

Answer 2

people considered as abnormal according to statistically rare behaviour

Question 3

in statistical infrequency, how is it determined who is statistically rare

Answer 3

normal distribution (probability distribution that appears as a bell curve when plotted on a graph)

Question 4

IQ level seen as abnormal

Answer 4

IQ below 70
can receive diagnosis of a psychological disorder - intellectual disability disorder

Question 5

what is deviation from social norms

Answer 5

society has unwritten rules that we refer to as ‘norms’ any variation from these is seen as abnormal

Question 6

two types of behaviour in deviation from social norms

Answer 6

desirable and undesirable behaviour
those with undesirable as seen as social deviants and therefore abnormal

Question 7

issues with deviation from social norms

Answer 7

subjective - relies on interpretation
can cause people distress if they are told they are abnormal
labelling - discrimination and prejudice
ethics - assumes everyone should fit the ‘mould’

Question 8

what is failure to function adequately

Answer 8

cant cope with everyday life which causes stress
due to features such as unpredictability, personal distress, irrationality etc

Question 9

signs of failure to function adequately

Answer 9

no longer conforming to standard rules
severe emotional distress
behaviour becomes irrational

Question 10

what is deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 10

have an idea of what a psychologically healthy person looks like and anything different is abnormal

Question 11

who came up with the 6 characteristics from ideal mental health and what are they

Answer 11

Jahoda

Self actualisation
Personal autonomy
Positive attitudes towards self
Environmental mastery
Accurate perception of reality
Resistance to stress

Question 12

2 treatments for phobias

Answer 12

flooding
systemic desensitisation

Question 13

what is systemic desensitisation

Answer 13

behavioural therapy designed to reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning
new response to phobia created through counterconditioning

Question 14

what is involved in systemic desensitisation

Answer 14

relaxation techniques
anxiety hierarchy
exposure over many weeks

Question 15

what does flooding hope to teach the patient

Answer 15

confronts patients with their fears and experience no harm or negative outcomes when faced with their fears, so breaks association quickly

Question 16

what is extinction in flooding

Answer 16

fully removing the fear from the patient

Question 17

ethical issues with flooding

Answer 17

can be dangerous - anxiety can increase to a high degree
some people might increase fear after therapy
could experience psychological harm
no right to withdraw
could physically harm themselves
hard to fully get informed consent

Question 18

similarities of flooding and systemic desensitisation

Answer 18

both treat phobias
create new associations with the phobia
based on psychological theory - mainly classical conditioning

Question 19

differences between flooding and systemic desensitisation

Answer 19

flooding much quicker
SD more ethical
SD more holistic
SD more client controlled
more likely to get psychologically harmed with flooding

Question 20

characteristics of OCD

Answer 20

obsessive thoughts
anxiety + distress
compulsions
temporary relief

Question 21

major feature of OCD for most patients

Answer 21

obsessive thoughts - aways unpleasant thoughts that are recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images, urges or impulses

Question 22

what are compulsions in OCD and what comes after them

Answer 22

repetitive behaviours performed to reduce the fear and anxiety caused by intrusive thoughts and obsession
after there is some temporary relief, however obsessions quick to return

Question 23

3 biological explanations of OCD

Answer 23

brain structure
neurotransmitters
genetic explanations

Question 24

part of the brain involved in OCD

Answer 24

orbiofrontal corte
thalamus
caudate nucleus
cingulate gyrus

OFC sends signals to thalamus via caudate nucleus about worries

Question 25

what does the caudate nucleus do and what happens when it is damaged

Answer 25

surpasses/ regulate signals from OFC when damaged it fails to suppress 'worry' signals and thalamus is alerted which confirms worry signals back to OFC increases compulsions and anxiety

Question 26

what neurotransmitter is linked to OCD

Answer 26

serotonin

Question 27

serotonin levels in people with OCD and what this does

Answer 27

low levels are found in people with OCD normally sends mood-relevant information, when this doesn't happen mood and mental processes can be affected may lead to abnormal functioning in areas of brain involved in OCD

Question 28

treatment for OCD in relation to serotonin

Answer 28

SSRI's type of drug that increases levels of serotonin in the brain people who take them show a reduction of OCD symptoms

Question 29

genetic explanation of OCD

Answer 29

it tends to run in families suggests genetic link support of this - family and twin studies

Question 30

problem with genetic explanation of OCD

Answer 30

we cant be sure exactly what is being inherited by the genes as no specific gene has been found

Question 31

what is the diathesis stress model

Answer 31

suggests that certain genes leave some people more likely to suffer from OCD there is genetic vulnerability that is inherited and if someone with it experiences environmental stress they will develop OCD - helps understand environmental factors

Question 32

treatments for OCD

Answer 32

(only used if CBT doesn't work) antidepressants SNRI's Benzodiazepines

Question 33

two components of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)

Answer 33

behavioural cognitive

Question 34

symptoms of depression

Answer 34

sleep too much/ little eat too much/ little self harm/ thoughts loss if interest/ pleasure low mood thoughts/ attempts of suicide

Question 35

categories in the DSM -5

Answer 35

major depressive disorder persistent depressive disorder disruptive modd dysregulation disorder premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Question 36

behavioural aspects of depression

Answer 36

loss of appetite loss of interest trying to look happy saying/ doing negative things irritable substance usage

Question 37

emotional aspects of depression

Answer 37

cant concentrate feeling older loss of confidence fear of being found out and shamed feeling isolated

Question 38

cognitive aspects of depression

Answer 38

negative thinking lack of memory

Question 39

according to the cognitive approach, what do individuals with mental disorders suffer from

Answer 39

distorted and irrational thinking may cause maladaptive behaviour

Question 40

what did becks cognitive theory consist of

Answer 40

cognitive triad 1. negative self -schemes 2. faulty information processes 3. negative triad

Question 41

five cognitive biases

Answer 41

overgeneralisation personalisation selective abstraction magnification minimisation

Question 42

Ellis's ABC model

Answer 42

A - activating event B - belief C - consequences